Devising Smoking Gun Tests for Objectivity in Scholarship: Towards a Comprehensive Set of Indicators to Measure Objectivity in Scholarship

The core objective of this paper is to develop guidelines for developing criteria also known as smoking gun tests for ascertaining and measuring objectivity, accuracy, precision, and rigour in scholarship. We naturally begin this paper by attempting to define what research and scientific method are, and then correlate them with other concepts in this paper such as objectivity, objectivity in mindset, certainty, precision, exactitude, and limits to objectivity. We also then vet and ratify our concepts with the concepts proposed in our earlier papers on scientific method over the years, and other general scientific concepts and methods too. The twin concepts of discourse analysis and content analysis are also reviewed in detail, and we propose a four stage model and approach in this paper, namely the execution of discourse analysis and content analysis, the identification and categorization of fallacies including new ones as a part of a continuous process of identification and categorization, and the creation of objective criteria and smoking gun tests to align with these fallacies. Some examples are provided in support of the above method, though tests can only be continuously developed and added upon as a part of an elaborate and a protracted and continuous process. We hope, expect, and anticipate that this will become an important part and parcel of twenty-first century scientific method, with rich rewards in store for myriad facets of scientific activity.